Hey Hive!
If you didn't catch the last couple of posts, this is a new series where I write about games that I've played; what they're about and my experience playing them! I'll try my best to keep these posts short and sweet, hence the name; it's a reference to Games Done Quick (GDQ) - a charity speedrunning event!
So I just started playing this new plaforming pvp game and since it's finally out of beta (as of a week ago) I thought I'd do a quick review!
This is Soviet Jump Game developed by Fantastic Passion and published by the Game Grumps!
STORY
There isn't a story mode in the game per se, but there is quite a story about how this game came to be.
Initially touted as the first-ever Battle Royale, Soviet Jump Game is a never-released title for the Dendy console from the early 1990s. By way of a rather serendipitous string of discoveries, it was recently uncovered by YouTube channel Game Grumps and remastered for modern systems.
In a three-video series, Arin from Game Grumps walks us through how initial interest in the storied Dendy led to stumbling upon the game.
Here's part 1 of 3 if you're interested.
In part 2, Arin finds a mysterious Dendy Junior cartridge sporting a handwritten label in Russian that fails to load. An error screen blocks access to the game. After getting it translated, turns out the label reads ‘Spot On Jumping Friends’. The error message explains the game requires an internet adapter to function. An oddity for a time when online gaming wasn’t yet widespread and even more surprising from a bootleg Soviet game. Prying the Dendy apart reveals a concealed serial port. The mystery heightens.
Long story short, turns out that this whole uncovering a mystery game from a bygone era was all a marketing tactic for the GameGrumps' newly published game - Soviet Jump Game!
So I've been a GameGrumps fan for many years now, and while it might have been a little disappointing to find out this whole saga was just another marketing gimmick, I thought it was kinda smart. I personally got very invested in the videos and learning about the Dendy; which is actually a thing btw! It's a Taiwanese hardware clone of the Family Computer aka Famicom, produced for the Russian market and was released in 1992.
But I get why a lot of fans were angry and disappointed. And Arin being a good sport, did sincerely apologise for misleading folks. But the game itself looked legit and I felt I owed it to them to give it a chance (and since it's free why not right) so I downloaded it while it was still in beta.
GAMEPLAY
The gameplay itself is pretty intuitive if you're a seasoned platformer player (like me). You start each match in a lobby waiting for 49 other players to join. When the match starts you choose from a number of pipes to descend into and then you run around collecting powerups and coins, and jump on other players to kill them, just like you'd kill Gommbas as Mario. Pretty standard stuff.
There are a ton of different powerups in the game that I won't go over since it's quite a few, but there are standard ones like the battery which lets you shoot electric balls (a la Mario's fire flower), and a vodka bottle that gives you invincibility for a limited time (like Starman). You can even store a powerup in a box at the top of the screen like in Super Mario World!
There are also some unique powerups like the tank which lets you shoot spike balls and the Russian doll which gives you extra armour so you can take 3 hits before you die (as opposed to 2 with other powerups).
But not all "question mark" blocks are helpful. Quite a few of them have wild animals in them that can kill you if you don't stomp on them.
The map itself has many different biomes and you transition between them either through pipes or just crossing screens left and right. About 30 seconds into a match the deadly Pain Wall will spawn in a random spot in the map (as shown on the bar in the bottom of the screen). It'll spread left and right over time and touching it is instant death so better keep your distance.
GRAPHICS
Visually, I thought Soviet Jump Game was pretty well done! They really did a good job mimicking the retro style, and the different biomes were all interesting and colourful, with their own unique hazards and stuff.
The glitched out parts can be distracting and bad for people who are prone to seizures but it can thankfully be toggled off in the settings. And of course there are a ton of customisation options that you can unlock the more you play.
The soundtrack is amazing as well! Entirely composed by Alex Yoder, it fits the game's graphics so well with the chip-tune and 8-bit sounds.
RELEASE AND RECEPTION
Soviet Jump Game was initially released on 9 Jan 2020 but was in beta until 17 July 2020, when it finally released as 1.0! It's currently only available for PC on Steam but I definitely foresee it coming to consoles in the future, especially the Switch.
As for reception, I think it was pretty 50-50 for the fanbase at large. Some people were kinda salty with what happened with the marketing and decided to boycott the game, some didn't like the glitched out graphics, while others were excited to try it. I heard the community discord is pretty active and there are matches anytime I play so the game must be doing well audience-wise despite the hate, which is good.
I've been trying to find a game where I could just sit and play a couple quick matches in half an hour and Soviet Jump Game fit the bill perfectly! I was so glad I downloaded it back when it was in beta because I found that it's actually not available in my region on Steam now! That was a lucky break for me I guess, but it sucks for other people in Asia who want to give it a shot.
If you're a fan of platformers and are looking to try out some pvp, definitely give Soviet Jump Game a try! It's free so what do you have to lose, really.
Thanks for reading!
To find out more about me, check out my intro post here!
